The present invention is an improved version of the method and apparatus for measuring trace amounts of tetraalkylleads in gasoline described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,690. This patent describes a method and apparatus in which a small sample of gasoline is injected into a system. A carrier gas is used to transport the sample to a vaporizer and filter for removing aromatics and olefins. The sample of gasoline is discharged from the filter to an electrochemical cell of the type known as galvanic sensor whose output signal is integrated or otherwise utilized to obtain a measurement of the quantity of the lead alkyl in the gasoline sample.
From the above brief description, it is seen that the method and apparatus of the above patent requires the use of a carrier gas to transport the gasoline sample through the vaporizing furnace and filter. In addition, the filter comprises a packed column, for example, a column packed with conventional chromatographic partitioning materials which will absorb the aromatics and olefins in the sample. Thus, the system requires a supply of carrier gas and a packed column which must be periodically renewed. In addition, the method requires some means for heating the vaporizing furnace to vaporize the sample.